Charles R. Donohoe Sr., full of life
Charles R. Donohoe Sr., a highly respected international patent attorney and Rehoboth Beach civic leader, died unexpectedly of a heart attack Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Mr. Donohoe, who was known as Chuck, was 75 years old.
Chuck and his wife Nancy moved full time to Rehoboth Beach in 2014 and very quickly became active and valuable members of the community. Nancy joined the Village Improvement Association. Chuck served as treasurer and a board member of the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners' Association, and was appointed to the Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment in 2015. He was respected for his calm demeanor, sense of humor, adherence to the facts, and ability to manage disparate opinions and personalities - the same qualities that served him well during his legal career.
“Chuck dug into the details and didn’t rush to make judgments. He was a gentleman, and everyone felt comfortable working with him,” said Rehoboth Beach Mayor Sam Cooper.
A Midwesterner, Chuck graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1964, and with a master's degree in electrical engineering in 1965. Realizing he didn’t like engineering or cold weather, Chuck went on to earn his Juris Doctor Degree from George Washington University Law School in 1970.
After graduation, Chuck remained in Washington, D.C., becoming a fixture of the city’s patent law scene for decades, first in private practice with Cushman, Darby and Cushman (now part of Pillsbury, Winthrop) and then with Samsung.
Chuck joined Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of semiconductor, telecommunications and consumer products, in 1989. He moved to Korea and led all patent licensing and litigation activities. He started and managed Samsung’s legal department, which grew into a large and diverse staff of attorneys located in Seoul and Washington, D.C.
Patents play an important role in encouraging technological innovation. According to William West, a close friend, law colleague, and golfing buddy, Chuck jumpstarted Samsung’s international patent program, which resulted in Samsung moving from one patent to being ranked as high as fourth in the world in issued patents by 2000. The rise in patents coincided with the company’s rise to be a worldwide giant in electronics.
He retired from Samsung in 2003 and then served until 2012 as chief intellectual property officer for Pachira, an Ottawa, Canada, company that licenses patents for small businesses.
Chuck was a golfer and loved to run and bike around town. He and Nancy traveled annually to Jamaica each winter to attend a two-week yoga retreat.
Chuck is survived by his wife Nancy; sisters Charlene Rohr and Suzanne Croci; daughter Kelly Berling of Richmond, Va.; sons Patrick Donohoe of Fulton, Md., and Mark Donohoe of Bangkok, Thailand, and C.R. Donohoe of Los Angeles, Calif.; stepson Tom Grave of Sherborn, Mass.; and eight beloved grandchildren. His first wife Kathy predeceased him Feb. 5, 1997.
A Memorial Mass was celebrated Monday, May 9, at St. Edmond Catholic Church, 409 King Charles Ave., Rehoboth Beach.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Please visit Chuck's Life Memorial Webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
